"flowers for Algernon" questions review
How old is the main character? (March 3rd)
32
What type of test is Charlie given? (March 4th)
An ink blot test.
What is Charlie going to have done? (March 6th)
An operation to make him smart.
Why is Charlie ultimately chosen? (March 6th)
Charlie is chose because of his motivation to become smart.
What is happening to Charlie at the bakery? (April 22nd)
Charlie is getting promoted. He is also ignored by his co-workers.
What new things is Charlie doing? (April 15th)
Charlie is reading a lot, remembering more, and spelling better.
How does Charlie feel towards Norma? (June 5th)
Charlie only wanted to play games with her, loved her as a sister.
What happened between Charlie and Norma? (May 3rd)
Charlie peeks at Norma through the keyhole while she was bathing. He has no idea why her body is different from his.
What does Charlie do with Algernon? (March 6th)
Charlie races against him.
What does Charlie remember about his family? (March 29th)
Charlie remembers Uncle Herman sleeping on the couch in his house and that he wanted to be a painter.
What memory does Charlie recall? (April 13th)
Charlie remembers a day where kids threw dirt on him, hit him, and peed on him.
What does Charlie say about Gimpy? (March 5th)
Charlie says Gimpy is his best friend and that he limps when he walks.
What does Charlie tell Miss Kinnian? (May 10th)
Charlie says he wants to be with her.
What happens in the diner? (June 24th)
Charlie sees a young boy working and he was mentally retarded.
What does Charlie begin to do within his mind?
Charlie starts to feel scared and uncomfortable when gets to certain parts of his memory.
How does Charlie still react to Frank and Joe from the bakery? (April 21st)
Charlie still tries to be friends with them.
At the end of the entry, how does Charlie feel towards Fay? (June 19th)
Charlie thinks Fay is attractive and he likes her.
What does Charlie remember? (April 4th)
Charlie thinks he remembers his mother telling him to be good and always be friendly to people. To also be careful because some people don't understand and might think he's trying to make trouble.
How does Charlie react to these comments made by his co-workers? (March 21st)
Charlie thinks it's a game and laughs with them.
How does Charlie feel towards these men? (June 11th)
Charlie thinks of these men as frauds. Thinks they pretended to be geniuses and worked blindly on him.
What does Charlie's nightmare tell you about his childhood? (April 17th)
Charlie would get taken advantage of.
Fay Lillman
Charlie's neighbor
Alice Kinnian
Charlie's teacher
Who is the only person that was against Charlie getting fired? (May 20th)
Fanny
What happens between Charlie and Miss Kinnian? (May 1st)
They go on a date. They went to the movies and dinner. He tries to put his arm around her. They go to Times Square together. He tries to hold her hand in the car, but she doesn't let him. He wanted to kiss her when dropping her off.
Where do Charlie and Miss Kinnian go? (May 17th)
They go to the Festival in Central Park.
What happened between Charlie and his family? (March 13th)
They didn't love or care for Charlie.
What happens between Charlie and Alice? (June 6th)
They have a fight / argument. Alice thinks Charlie has changed as a person and is insecure. She doesn't like his new attitude towards people and thinks Charlie called her a moron.
What happens with Charlie and Algernon? (March 29th)
They raced once again, but Charlie beat him this time.
Where do Charlie and Algernon stay? (June 15th)
They stay at the Camden Hotel on 41st street, a block away from Times Square, NY.
What happens between Alice and Charlie? Why? (June 25th)
They try to have sex, but Charlie wasn't ready because he felt his old self just watching his new self do it with Alice and couldn't handle it. He wasn't ready for her.
What are Strauss and Nemur arguing about? (April 24th)
They're arguing about whether or not to make the experiment public.
How could Algernon's behavior be relevant to Charlie? (July 9th)
This could happen to Charlie.
What do Strauss and Nemur argue about? (March 6th)
Whether or not to use Charlie in the operation.
Where does the main character work? (March 3rd)
Works as a janitor in bakery, Donners Bakery.
What do the co-workers mean with their comments like "he pulled a Charlie Gordon that time?". (March 21st)
You always have a job here.
Explain: "The more intelligent you become the more problems you'll have, Charlie." (April 14th)
You start to gain conscience of your issues and problems.
What is Fay's favorite activity? (July 8th)
dancing
Dr. Strauss
the neurologist and psychiatrist who performs surgery on Charlie
Algernon
the white laboratory mouse
What is Charlie's internal conflict? (May 9th)
whether he should tell Mr. Donner what Gimpy is doing. He doesn't know what's the right thing to do.
What book does Charlie begin to read? (March 30th)
"Robinson Crusoe"
Whom does Charlie meet? (June 19th)
His neighbor from across the hall, Fay Lillian.
What does Fay give Charlie? (June 21st)
A female white mouse named Minnie Algernon now he has a girlfriend.
Burt Seldon
A graduate student who assists Nemur and Strauss in their experimentation
What does Charlie remember from one of his deliveries? (May 25th)
A woman exposing herself as a test to see what Charlie would do, he freaked out.
What is special about Algernon? (March 20th)
Algernon has the operation to be smart just like Charlie did.
Why is Charlie frustrated? (March 17th)
Algernon keeps beating him in the maze.
Whom does Charlie meet in the laboratory? (March 6th)
Algernon the white mouse.
Summarize this entry (July 9th)
Algernon's behavior is changing to one full of aggression and rage. Fay got bit by him and Charlie wants to tell Professor Nemur.
What happens between Alice and Charlie? (May 25th)
Alice was kissing Charlie and holding him close to her.
Where does Charlie go? (May 25th)
Alice's apartment
What does Charlie finally do about Gimpy? (May 11th)
Charlie confronts him and tells him to stop.
How does Charlie feel about Gimpy's actions at work? Why? (May 8th)
Charlie couldn't take his eyes off Gimpy. Charlie wanted to slap him, hated him a lot. He didn't know what to do.
How does Charlie react to Nurse Hilda's comment? (March 12th)
Charlie feels like he shouldn't have done the test.
How does Charlie feel about the main character in the story? (March 30th)
Charlie feels sorry for him because he has no friends and is all alone.
What happens at the bakery? why? (May 20th)
Charlie gets fired because employees signed a petition to get him cut.
What happens to Charlie during the Rorschach test? (April 18th)
Charlie gets really angry and starts to question the doctors.
Name the examiner (March 4th)
Burt
Who does Charlie go to for advice? What do they all advice? (May 10th)
Charlie goes to Dr. Nemur, Strauss, and Miss Kinnian. They advise him to ignore it.
What does Charlie hear? What does Charlie realize? (April 18th)
Charlie hears the tapes of the last test. He realizes how much he has changed.
How does Charlie's mother treat him? (April 28th)
As if he's normal, harsh and abusive.
what is the name of the main character? (March 3rd)
Charlie Gordon
What does Charlie ask Matt to do? (June 19th)
Charlie asked for a haircut, to give him the works in the barbershop.
What does Charlie begin to realize? (April 10th)
Charlie begins to realize that his friends only like him around to make fun of him.
What does Charlie's father do for Charlie? (April 28th)
Defends and protects him.
What happens during the presentation? What does Charlie do? (June 13th)
During the presentation, Charlie sees videos of him and Algernon (the mouse) in testing and photographs of him passed around to the people in the meeting. He wasn't aware of any of this and got angry. He got even more angry when Nemur said that Charlie didn't exist before this experiment. When Nemur called Charlie up, he unlocked Algernon's cage and the mouse ran out. When Charlie found Algernon, they both escaped.
What happens during Charlie and Miss Kinnian's date at the festival? What does Charlie see? (May 17th)
During their date, Charlie gets really nervous and sees a boy staring at them.
Frank Reilly and Joe Carp
Employees at the bakery where Charlie works
Describe Charlie's memory (April 21st)
Frank and Gimpy try to teach Charlie how to make rolls, Charlie tries to learn and fails.
What has Charlie wanted all his life? (March 5th)
Friends
What does Charlie begin to realize? (April 8th)
He figured out how punctuation and grammar works.
Name his co-workers (March 21st)
Gimpy, Mr. Donner, Joe Carp, Frank, Reilly, and Ernie.
Where does Charlie go to school? (March 3rd)
Goes to the Beekman School for Retarded Adults
What is significant about Charlie's question to the new nurse? (March 13th)
He asks how babies are made.
What happens to Charlie during his kissing with Alice? (May 25th)
He began to sob. He cried in her arms and cried to sleep.
What does Charlie accomplish? (June 16th)
He buys a furnished apartment, cleans a new room for Algernon, and wants to build a maze.
When Charlie sees Fay with Leroy how does he feel? (June 23rd)
He didn't like him.
Describe the relationship between Charlie and his family? Name his sister. (March 5th)
He doesn't have a relationship with his family. His sister's name is Norma.
What happens to Charlie during the test? (March 4th)
He doesn't see any picutures
What happens to Charlie during these outings? (July 8th)
He drinks, dances, and cracks jokes.
How does Charlie feel after getting fired? (May 20th)
He feels more alone than before.
What does Charlie realize when he speaks to the professors? (May 15th)
He has become smarter.
What does Charlie realize about Gimpy? (May 8th)
He has undercharged a customer, he was stealing money and robbing Mr. Donner.
How does Charlie feel toward Miss Kinnian? (May 1st)
He hated her and wanted to slap her, but also wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss. He loves her.
Describe Charlie's father. (April 28th)
He is defensive over Charlie, but weaker than Rose.
What does the reader notice from the progress reports that Charlie still does not notice himself? (March 24th)
He is getting smarter, his reading and writing is getting better.
Where is Charlie going? Why? (June 10th)
He is going to Chicago for the International Psychological Association meeting.
Where is Charlie during this entry? (June 13th)
He is on a plane headed back to New York alone and doesn't know what to do when he gets there.
Why does Charlie like hanging around the college? (April 27th)
He loves hearing the kids talk.
How does Charlie feel about learning? (April 27th)
He loves it
What happened to Charlie in Central Park? (June 8th)
He met a prostitute and went home with her, he finds out she is 5 months pregnant and runs away.
What does Charlie pretend with Alice? (June 25th)
He pretends to think of being with Fay instead of Alice so he could make love to her.
What does Charlie realize from this? (June 23rd)
He realized that when he got drunk, he started acting like a little kid again, he turned into the Old Charlie.
After Charlie leaves Alice, what does he realize? (June 6th)
He realizes that he has been so absorbed in himself and never thought about what could be happening to her. His feelings for Alice was holding him back, but wanted to be in love with her. He wanted to overcome his emotional and sexual fears, to marry, have children, and settle down.
Where does Charlie realize comes his desire to learn? (June 10th)
He realizes that he wanted to be smart when with his family. He wanted his mom to love him and for his family to not think of him as a freak.
What does Charlie realize about Frank, Joe, and Gimpy? (May 20th)
He realizes that those three guys are afraid of him. His smarts make them feel dumb and stupid.
At the end of Charlie's memory, what does he remember about Gimpy? (April 21st)
He remembers Gimpy was kind to him and gave Charlie the shiny chain as a nice gesture.
In Charlie's nightmare, what does he remember? (April 17th)
He remembers a similar situation that happened to him when he was little.
Describe what happens to Charlie when he gets drunk? (June 23rd)
He remembers getting into bed with Fay after one drink, when he woke up he has a hangover.
What memory does Charlie recall when he is being strapped down to the seat? (June 10th)
He remembers visiting Dr. Guarino. He examines Charlie. Charlie's mom didn't like how he made a accident in his pants there. Parents are yelling/arguing in car and at home. Dad storms out the door.
What does Charlie explain to Alice as to why he can't be intimate with her? (June 25th)
He tells Alice that it's because of the old Charlie, it wasn't letting him. Old Charlie is afraid of women because of the things his mom would do to him. His old self is connected to her.
Who was Dr. Guarino? (June 10th)
He was a phony/fake doctor who said he could help Charlie become smart, but didn't. He took advantage of Charlie's parents and their money.
Describe Charlie's nightmare (April 17th)
He was getting yelled at for having someone else write his work. The person used dirty words.
What does Charlie decide to do with this acquired intelligence? (June 24th)
He was going to get in touch with the board of the dictators at the Welburg Foundation and ask for permission to use some independent work on project. He wants to help people who are mentally retarded.
What does Charlie learn about his father's profession? (June 20th)
He was no longer a salesman, quit selling. His dad owns his own barber shop called Gordon's Barbershop on Wentworth street in the Bronx.
Where does Charlie go? (June 6th)
He went to see Alice at his old school, the center for Retarded Adults.
What does Charlie do at the bakery? (April 1st)
He works the dough mixer.
Describe Charlie's last memory of his father? (June 20th)
His father was dressing him at night to leave for Uncle Herman's.
What does Charlie find in the bathroom closet? (May 3rd)
His father's things, his mother's things, Norma's dresses, Norma's underwear with dry blood. Once he sees her underwear, he thinks someone is out to hurt her.
What is Charlie feeling about his apartment? (April 26th)
It's lonely.
What is Charlie's occupation at the bakery? (March 6th)
Janitor
Describe what happened to Charlie when he went out drinking with Joe Carp and Frank Reilly. (March 28th)
Joe Carl and Frank Reilly invited Charlie to go to Muggsys Saloon for drinks. Joe Carp told Charlie to show the girls how to mop out the toilet in the factory and everyone laughed at him. Afterwards, the guys ditched Charlie and a cop brought him home.
What does the reader learn about Charlie's mom? (May 25th)
She would beat and threaten him over an orexin.
What are the names of Charlie's parents? (April 28th)
Matt and Rose Gordon.
How do Matt and Rose act towards Charlie and Norma? (June 5th)
Matt takes Charlie's side about the dog and Rose takes Norma's side.
What is the setting of this novel? (May 1st)
Movie theater / Times Square.
Name the other characters (March 3rd)
Mrs. Kinnian, Mr. Strauss, Dr. Nemur, Gimpy, and Algernon
Mr. Donner
Owner of the bakery where Charlie works
Describe Charlie's memory. (April 28th)
Rose is arguing with Matt about Charlie getting kicked out of school, Charlie poops himself.
In Charlie's memory, what does Rose threaten to do? (June 19th)
Rose threatens to send him to a Warren state home. She can't stand looking at him anymore. She says he's better off dead and grabbed a knife.
How does Rose feel about Charlie now? Why has her attitude changed? (June 15th)
Rose wants him gone. She sees Charlie is actually dumb.
Professor Nemur
Scientist who ran experiments to boost Charlie's intelligence
What does Fanny do for Charlie? (March 26th)
She gets him into the school.
How old is Miss Kinnian?
She is in her 20s.
Who is Fanny Birden? (March 26th)
She is one of the workers in the bakery.
What does Fay reveal to Charlie? (June 23rd)
She likes Charlie a lot and she would go to bed with him.
How does Miss Kinnian feel towards Charlie? (May 1st)
She likes him too, but feels like they should wait.
What does Ms. Kinnian tell Charlie? (April 4th)
She tells him that he's learning fast.
What does Nurse Hilda tell Charlie? (March 12th)
She tells him to not tamper with God's plan.
How does Norma feel towards Charlie? (June 5th)
She thinks of him as a baby. She doesn't want anything to do with him. She hates Charlie and blames him for her not having a dog. She is a self-centered brat.
Describe their encounter (June 19th)
She was a slender blonde in pink bra and panties, she was very welcome/open with her body. Fay welcomed Charlie even though she was undressed.
What does Charlie realize at the end of this progress report? (June 13th)
That things aren't as definite as Nemur believed. Nemur's conclusions were premature. He might not have time to see his parents and that he was on his own.
What argument does Charlie remember? (June 15th)
The argument between Matt and Rose about Charlie. Rose was willing to give up Charlie so baby Norma didn't have to deal with him. Charlie's mom wanted to send him away and people were telling her to do that, except for Matt.
What does the reader know about Charlie and his co-workers? (March 21st)
The co-workers make fun of Charlie.
What do the men from the bakery do to Charlie? (April 10th)
The men get him drunk and have a girl dance on him.
What does Charlie remember about his mom's prayer? What does this tell you about their relationship? (March 16th)
The mom wishes for Charlie to be smart. They don't have a good relationship.
Fanny Birden
The only bakery employee who is consistently nice to Charlie
Why was Charlie's nurse changed? (March 13th)
The other nurse didn't agree with the doctors.
In the party what does Charlie realizes about Nemur and Strauss? (June 11th)
They are jealous of how smart Charlie has become. He finds out all the things Strauss doesn't know and sees Nemur get annoyed at him because he's getting all the attention.
What has happened with Fay and Charlie? (June 30th)
They became closer and they hung around each other's places all the time.
What is it that Charlie wants above everything? (March 8th)
To be smart, have friends, and be loved.
What was Charlie told when it came to girls? (May 3rd)
To never touch a girl.
Why does Charlie think he agreed to the operation? (May 10th)
To please Miss Kinnian
Why does Charlie want to find his family? (June 15th
To tell them that he is normal and lo longer retarded. To see what his mother will will about him.
Who had gotten Charlie the job at the bakery? (March 6th)
Uncle Herman
How do we know Charlie is superstitious? (March 8th)
We know he's superstitious from the rabbit's foot, the horsehsoe, and penny.
